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Darling in the Franxx Episode 11 - Anime Review

24.03.2018

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OMG! Kokoro is such a bad girl! This week’s episode is mainly focused on Mitsuru and Kokoro. Their character development is amazing. I had a grudge against Mitsuru because of his dick-move in episode 3. However, after seeing this episode I think he is in fact a good guy. Adding to that, the Kokoro x Mitsuru ship is sailing strong!

Synopsis

This week’s episode starts with a flashback of Mitsuru’s childhood. He admired Hiro as a boy. However, now he regrets, that he was so fond of Code 016. In a narration he orders himself, not to give Hiro that look of admiration. Mitsuru wakes up from what appears to be a nightmare. He has obviously a high fever. After the opening, we see Ichigo reporting their results on the battle field to Nana. Today, they have killed 25 Klaxosaurs. Nana finds the results very impressive. She even speculates, that the good results must be the product of dr. Franxx’s tests. Without a doubt, Team 13 is the most proficient team in killing the monsters. However, the result of Mitsuru an Ikuno is not at the level of the others. This is obviously due to the bad relationship between the two. After the briefing, we jump again into battle. Before the attack by the Klaxosaurs, Futoshi and Kokoro promise to each other, that they will stay together as partners for ever. As the Klaxosaurs attack, Mitsuru and Ikuno lose their connection immediately. Mitsuru is promptly send to the nurse station. There we find out, that he got injected with a performance enhancing drug called Elixirs. Back in the dorm, the other kids are talking about Mitsuru. Apparently, the injection he got, has a mortality rate of 85 percent. Furthermore, we learn from Goro, that Mitsuru used to hang out a lot with Hiro. During a dream sequence, we learn about the promise Mitsuru made with Hiro. The next day, Nana and Hachi decide to shuffle the partners. The kids are free to choose whit whom they want to try to pilot the Franxx. Futoshi obviously says to Kokoro: “We don’t have to shuffle. After all, I’ve already promised to protect you forever.” Cutting to the main couple Hero and Zero Two, their relationship seems to be in trouble. Zero Two appears to keep her distance from Hiro. She says to her darling: “We can understand each other just fine by piloting Strelizia.” After the decision time, Ikuno proposes to pilot with Ichigo. Kokoro, surprisingly, volunteers to pilot with Mitsuru.

Futoshi is obviously not happy about it. This puts an entirely new dynamic into the group. After the tests, the boys discuss their new team-ups. Futoshi is crying his eyes out while Zorome states, that his behaviour might go on Kokoros nerves. In the greenhouse, Mitsuru catches Kokoro playing with a doll. They have a short discussion on why the adults might have stopped making children. However, Mitsuru asks Kokoro, why she wants to pilot with him. Their discussion is abruptly ended by an attack. During the battle, Zero Two is acting very recklessly. The others have trouble to keep up with the Klaxosaur. Especially Kokoro and Mitsuru are in trouble. They lose their connection. Mitsuru doubts himself. He thinks, that their situation is hopeless. He says to Kokoro: “If you place your hopes in me, you’ll only be let down in the end.” We learn about the entire backstory of Mitsuru. He wanted to pilot with Hiro. He even got the injection to get better at piloting the Franxx and they made a promise to each other. However, Hiro got some treatment as well, which lead him to forget about the promise. This devastated Mitsuru, who swore to himself to never trust somebody again. In the Franxx, Kokoro and Mitsuru have a heartfelt conversation.

The girl explains: “I’m not the nice, gentle girl that you all think I am.” To prove her point she goes full stampede mode. Mitsuru promptly get Kokoro out of trouble. After reconnecting, they are able to get the best connection possible. After the battle, Futoshi punches Mitsuru in the face, who doesn’t dodge.

Themes

- Mitsuru used to admire Hiro very much. He wanted to pilot the Franxx with him. Both of them promised each other, that they will pilot together. However, after some sort of treatment, Code 016 forgot about the promise he made to Mitsuru. Mitsuru was so devastated that he swore to himself never to expect something from somebody else.
- Kokoro is a bad girl. After she promised to Futoshi, that they always will be together, she immediately brakes her promise and volunteers to pilot with Mitsuru. During the scene with Mitsuru in the Franxx, she even admits, that she is not the innocent girl everybody thinks she is. She explains, that she has imperfections to.
- Ikuno has the chance to pilot with Ichigo. However, the test didn’t secceed.

Verdict

I not usually the sucker for drama. However, the developments of this episode are extremely interesting because they unset the entire balance of the team. It is the first time that the main characters are going behind the backs of each other. I am very curious to see how this dynamic will develop in the future. Let’s talk a bit about Ikuno. Am I the only one who thinks that she is unjust and mean to Mitsuru. I know, her partner is not very likable at best, but come on! Provoking Mitsuru this much in front of the only person he wants to impress, is just plain evil.

Nevertheless, in this episode she has the chance to pilot a Franxx with Ichigo, who is of course the girl she has a crush on. This test didn’t succeed, and Ikuno is unsurprisingly very disappointed. Addressing Futoshi, he is just a poor guy. It pains me to see him this broken after the betrayal of Kokoro. Of course, his relationship with Kokoro was very unhealthy, because he glorifies his partner too much. Kokoro However, is like all human an unperfect being. The girl realises that and acts against almost all her character traits I imagined her to have. I really liked the scene inside the Franxx, where Mitsuru and Kokoro have the possibility to talk about their emotions. I really disliked Mitsuru until now, but his character had a huge development in this episode. Again, this series keeps impressing me. I am a huge fan. I can’t wait till next week.

The Seven Deadly Sins are still chasing after Diane, who ran off to try to remember her past. She must now face alone the Commandment of Truth Galand, who is eager to kill the giant once and for all. Will Diane be able to survive? This episode was not flaw less but it was still very enjoyable.

Wow! Wow! Wow! We finally get to see Meliodas very emotional. To be honest, I almost chocked up seeing the heart wrenching scenes with Liz. In my opinion, this was the best and most emotional episode of Nanatsu no Taizai yet. I am so pumped up to see the Seven Deadly Sins develop even more.

It is again time for my favourite shonen anime of this winter season of anime 2018. Will Diane be able remember King or any of the Seven Deadly Sins? What will happen to Gowther who, as we know, is the cause for the amnesia of Diane.

In this episode we got again glorious battle scenes, which were expertly animated by Studio Trigger and A1-Pictures. However, with this episode I am quite worried for the future of this series. Hiro’s tumour just vanished, without any consequences for our protagonist. I hope that the characters of this series don’t get a to big of a Plot-Armor, which would ruin the vibe of this 24-episode long anime. Having said that, I am very pleased with this episode and I am looking forward to next week.

The tale of fanservice continues for our mech pilots. Sexuality and nudity are the main themes in this episode. After a wardrobe failure, the girls are trying to keep their distance from the boys. However, Zero Two, being best-girl, is doing everything she can to sabotage all the effort by the girls, which results in formidable and enjoyable situations. Man, I would do terrible things to be Hiro.

In this week, we get a Zorome focused episode. I didn’t quite enjoy this episode as much as the last one, which was really epic. However, there was a lot of world building and clarifications on the purpose of adults in this world. Zorome had a lot of screen time in which he had a lot of development.

Wow, wow, wow! This episode had so much going on. The romantic tensions in the last episodes got finally their pay off. And damn, it was beautiful to see Goro coping with his feelings for Ichigo. I admit, I am completely addicted to this show!

Here we have it! I believe it’s safe to say that Darling in the FranXX is the anime of the season. There were so many things going on in this episode. The romance is better than in most dedicated romance-anime, the cinematography is as good as “Eureka Seven” and the action is breath-taking.

This was the first episode of Violet Evergarden to deliver the same level of spectacle and emotional intensity as the premiere. The final moments came almost out of nowhere, even if they have been foreshadowed for a while.

Ii is the round number seven for Darling in the FranXX and it is time for the mighty (I believe it is even mandatory in japan). This is usually a huge turn down for any anime Fan who doesn’t really care for the fanservice everybody else is craving for. Will this episode be bad or are Studio Trigger and A1-Pictures able to pull it off?